Improvement in reversible latches



E. c. HU'SSEY.

Reversible-Latch.

N0 164 089, Patentedlune 8,1875.

Wwww a e/MM W THE GRAPHIC CO.PHOTO -LITH.39 & 41 PARK PLACE, NY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELISHA cJEUssEY, OF RUTHERFORD PARK, NEW JERsEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVERSIBLE LATCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 64,089, dated J nne 8, 1875; application filed January 12, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELISHA O. HUssEY, of Rutherford Park, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Locks, of which the following is a specification:

Locks have been made with lever-handles, and the latch and its frame or horseshoe have been made reversible, for right and left hand locks.

My invention consists in a latch having an open frame, sliding within the lock-case, said frame containing inward projections, opposite to each other, with intermediate openings, in combination with a spindle-hub, provided with an arm that passes into one of the notches, and a weighted handle that acts to project the latch. By this construction the lock-case can be used either side upward, according to convenience, and the latch and frame can be reversed within the case, so as to suit any door. The parts are entirely within the case, and hate a firm supportwithout increasing the size of the case.

In the drawing, Figure l is an elevation with the cap-plate removed, and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section.

The case a, lock-plate b, and removable cap 0 are adapted to receive the latch d, with its frame 6, that slides within the case, and the parts of the latch are made alike on both sides of a central line, so that the latch and frame can be taken out of the case when the cap 0 is removed, and reversed, so as to adapt the lock for a right or left hand door. The spindlef passes through or is formed with the hub g, that is placed within the latch-case, and turns freely in the circular bearings at the ends, and this hub is made with an arm or cam, l, acting against the frame, and preferably passing into one of the notches n in the frame 0, so that the latch is projected by the action of this arm, or withdrawn by the same, when the hub and spindle are turned in the reverse direction. The weighted handle or handles m are upon the spindle f. I have shown a lever-handle that is placed so as to act by its leverage and weight in projecting the latch. If a circular handle is used, one side is to be weighted sufficiently for projecting the latch. The latch is converted into a bolt by turning over the blocking-piece r. This blocking-piece r is connected to the lockcase at one end by the circular ribs 2 entering corresponding recesses in the case and capplates, respectively, and at this point the key .9 is applied, the same being made as a T-head, with projections entering recesses in the blocking-piece, so as to turn the same forward into use, as indicated by dotted lines, or turn it back out of the way.

The key may be protected by wards, if desired, and the joint for the blocking-piece may be at the end of an arm passing into a mortise in the blocking-piece.

The hole at 2; allows for the insertion of a pin, which, coming above the blocking-piece r, prevents the same being turned back, and renders it impossible to open the look from the outside, even with the proper key.

I claim as my invention The reversible frame 6 and latch 01 within the case, and the arm l, spindle f, and weighted handle m, constructed and arranged as specified, so that the arm Zenters the notch n in the lower part of the frame 0, and acts to project or retract the latch by a direct move ment, as set forth.

Signed by me this 8th day of January, A. D. 1875.

ELISHA O. HUSSEY.

Witnesses:

GEo. T. PINcKNEY, CHAS. H. SMITH. 

